Wednesday, January 27, 2010

BUCKINGHAM POND PARKDEPLORABLE CONDITIONTook a walk through the park yesterdaywith Mick.The dead tree overhanging the footpathLenox at pond, South side, is still thereendangering any walkers or joggers whoventure down the path in windy weather.Litter everywhere along the southern andwestern margins of the park. Vines andunderbrush strangling young trees.The useless drain pipe at the Milner Avefoot bridge remains upended.Footpaths are wet and slippery, particularlyat the pond East end, and South side, becausethe City did not apply coarse bluestone topromote better drainage and safer footing.Signs posted on trees, North side of pondinvite skaters to make use of the clearedice surfaces. Observe the ice is not safefor skating!Fear not, because the Buckingham PondConservancy Steering Committee is on thejob - holding a meeting 2 pm, SundayJanuary 31 to provide an update on thefledgling group's achievents in 2009, toadopt by laws and elect officers and aboard of directors.

http://buckinghampondconservancy.org/The group alleges to be non-partisanwhen the organizers are not - they hadCorey Ellis signs on their lawns and carsand opposed Mayor Jennings for reelection.They also by-passed the existing BuckinghamPond/Crestwood Neighborhood Associationwhich is responsible for rezoning the pondand shoreline Land Conservation (park land)in 1994, and for working with Mayor Jenningsto achieve many pond park improvementsin subsequent years, including the new lightingand improvements on the Milner Ave footpathand bridge, and working with the APD to ridthe pond park of underage drinking parties anddrug dealers.Moves which compromise the ability ofthe Buckingham Pond Conservancy toeffectively achieve it's professed pupose"To coordinate ...protecting, preservingand enhancing Buckingham Pond and it'ssurrounding greenspace."...in cooperationwith governmental agencies... neighborhood associations"(click on proposed by laws linkgo to Mission and Purpose.)Support the opponent of the Mayor andby pass the existing Buckingham PondCrestwood Neighborhood Association -two strikes!Strike 3 comes with the Membershipprovision which restricts "NeighborhoodMember" to "Each adult resident withinone half mile (0.5 mi) of the pond" whileproviding that a "Voting Member" shallbe any adult (18+) who contributes dues"in a given fiscal year. Fiscal years begineach April 1.These provisions exclude the residentsof the Crestwood sector of the neighborhoodand are contrary to the practices of theexisting Buckingham Pond/Crestwood NAwhere no dues are charged and all neighborhood residentsmay participate in the association.In addition, the half mile geographicprovision for "Neighborhood Member"completely disregards the establishedWestern and Eastern boundaries of theBuckingham Pond/Crestwood NA whichhave been in place for more than 22 yearsthereby allowing residents and membersof other neighborhood associations andneighborhoods, who pay dues, to makedecisions that impact residents of thisneghborhood. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.The four conservancy working groupsare entirely unnecessary and thedescriptions of their responsibilities aremuddled, redundant and conflicting.We only need ONE Buckingham PondCommittee of this Neighborhood Association.If residents sincerely desire to protectand improve the pond park, they canvolunteer to serve on this Associationcommittee.There is no need to reinvent the wheel.Review the postings on this site overthe years which present needed actionspertaining to the pond park.For example:Friday, November 27, 2009BUCKINGHAM POND PARK REPORT NOVEMBER 27, 2009To begin: there is a high wind warningposted four our area-http://weather.aol.com/severe-weather-alerts/ny/nyc001/nyz052

So?There are a number of dead, ordecaying trees and tree limbsoverhanging the paths posing a hazard to walkers, their pets andjoggers.Most notably, the South side of the pond park:1. a large dead tree over the path at the foot of Lenox,2. another dead tree leaningtoward the footpath at the foot of Lenox,3. several overhanging the wooded footpath from Lenox to Holmes Dalein particular one at the HolmesDale entrance to the footpath4. several overhanding, or liable to fall across the footpath fromHolmes Dale to Milner Ave.This is not a new condition. Scroll backto earlierpark reports on this site, and you will read numerous postscalling attention to this. Also, complete agendas of what improvementsand remedial actions are needed in Buckingham Pond Park.

Mick, Paddy and me took a traverse around the pond park, today, andobserved the above conditions , as well as others ,that need attention.1. The dangerous, dead trees and limbs, noted above need immediateattention by the City of Albany.2. So do the footpaths, which become slippery when wet, posingfallhazards to those who usethe paths.This, too, is a job for the City ofAlbany.Crushed coarse, bluestone needs to be trucked in and spread over the footpaths.Particularly slippery sections are found at the pond East end, thepond, South side and pond North side.This problem as been posted, againand again on this site this year and last.In response, the City did attempt torectify theslip hazard butspread the wrong material - powdered gravelwhich only worsened the hazard.3. The wooded areas of the pond park particularly the South and Westsections, need to have active management which promotes the long termhealth of those wooded areas. a) cut, remove vines strangling treesb) remove dead trees and limbs thatpose a hazardc) cut the brush around young trees so that they may mature - particularlythe young Hemlocks and other conifers, pond park South side betweenColonial and Milner.4. Repositioning the drain pipe that runs into the small holding pond at theMilner Ave footbridge.Observe end of the drain pipe is elevated upward sothat it is useless, except for collecting rainfall.5. The childrens play area, North side, needs protection of a metal guard railor row of large rocks to prevent out of control, speeding vehicles on Berkshirefrom crashing into the play area.6. The pond shoreline needs to be stabilized through a program of plantingtrees and bushes that thrive in wet conditions, while stabilizing the banks.These include Willows, Red Osier Dogwoods, and others.See past pond park posts this site for the last several years.7. The park picnic tables need to be properly preserved and maintained.The City of Albany has the ability and obligation to make the aboveimprovements to the pond park.

Residents of this neighborhood payhigher property taxes than manyDowntown neighborhoods, while we receive less than our fair share of policepresence to deter crime control speeding traffic, etc.

Buckingham Pond Park receives much less attention than Washington andLincoln Parks. As long as residents do not press the city for more policepresence and more improvementsto Buckingham Pond Park- expect littleor no change.

Call Mayor Jennings on his weeklyFriday Radio show b9-10 am, WDGJ1300 AM - call in line # 476 1300. That will get results you need regardingthe above and any other neighborhood concerns you may have.

Now, with hard times here, citizens have to be expected to pitch in and help.All neighborhood residents have been drafted into our neighborhood watchinsructed to call the APD,and/or NYS Anti Terror Hotline, when they spotsuspicious individuals, groups and behaviors.See earlier posts for those telephone numbers.Residents around the pondwith a view of the pond ,particularly the parking lot at the footof ColonialNorth side, have the responsibility of calling the APD when they see peopledumping household and other trash in park barrels ,see people feeding the ducks/geese ,vandalizing the park, littering or engaging in drug trades.

The newly formed Buckingham Pond Conservancy which purports to be"working for the future of a small pond and a few acres of land"and lists a steering committee of a dozen neighborhood residents has to getto work!

Here are some tasks to work on:1. Rake the leaves off the footpaths,pond South side Lenox to Milner.Leaves are slippery and harbor ticks which pose a health hazard topeople and pets.2. Rake the leaves off the grassy section at Milner Ave, South side.The leaves will only kill the grass.They also harbor ticks.3. Place stakes with bright orange ribbon marking slippery spots onfootpaths that require coarse ,crushed bluestone application by the City.4. Place bright orange ribbons on trees and limbs that pose hazards overfootpaths.5. Place bright orange ribbons on vines that are strangling treespreventing them from maturing or killing them.6. Find the useless upended drain pipe and mark it with a stakeand orange ribbon.7. Read and download, all the prior posts on this site for the pastseveral years which identify pond park problems and present detailedneeded actions.

There is no need for the Conservancy to reinvent the wheel - that isif participants are really sincere in their stated objective.Just get to work and follow through on what has already been presentedon this site.

However, all is not lost, there are 2 other SWCD T&S sales still available.Schenectady County 399-6980. Order deadline: April 17.Stock included: Burning Bush/LilacRose of Sharon, White FloweringDogwood,Witch Hazel and Spicebush.Rensselaer County 271-1740. Order deadline; April 30.Stock included:Austrian Pine, Pagoda Flowering Dogwood, Rugosa Rose, LilacWinterBerry Holly, Rose of Sharon, America Cranberry and Manchu Cherry.Any and all of the above would be welcome additions to the pond parkas well a neighborhood yards. Obtaining and planting the above wouldbe of much more long term benefit to improving the pond park, than the trash/litter clean up which the Conservancy group has scheduled forApril.

The neighborhood association does notsponsor clean ups because of theliabilityrisk.

Joe Sullivan

posted by J P SullivanNone of the organizers of the "conservancy"have been active on the Association PondPark Committee since 1994.Their motives for creating this"conservancy" must be questioned.I have not been invited to any meetingsof the "conservancy" group, but am readyand willing to address them.I invite any participants in this groupas well as any interested neighborhoodresidents to volunteer for a single pondpark committee under the auspices ofthe Buckingham Pond/CrestwoodNeighborhood Association..Our Association boundaries are:Western Ave (N), S Manning Blvd (E)NYS Thruway (S) and Rte 85 (W).Buckingham Pond Park is the centerpiece of our Neighborhood Association.

Participation in the establishedBuckingham Pond/Crestwood NA willbest further the maintenance andimprovement of Buckingham PondPark.We have several other committeesto serve on, including:1. Neighborhood Security2. Emergency/Disaster Preparedness3. Traffic/Pedestrian SafetyWe have accomplished much tobenefit the neighborhood in past years:

ABOUT THE ASSOCIATIONHISTORY

The Buckingham Pond/Crestwood Neighborhood Association(BPCNA) was established in the mid-1980's.Joseph P Sullivan organized the Association and has servedcontinuously as President.

ASSOCIATION GOALS:(1) To protect, maintain and improve the residential integrity,environment and quality of life in thisneighborhood(2) To interact with city, county, state and federal governmentspublic and private schools/collegeschurches, synagogues, andneighborhood businesses to achieve the above goals.(3) To interact , and cooperate, with other neighborhood groups,regarding issues of mutual concern.

ASSOCIATION ACHIEVEMENTS:are many. Just a few include:Rezoning Albany Muni Golf Course and Buckingham Pond/shoreas Land Conservation (Park Land) in 1994.Defeat of two attempts to site a big box store Krum Kill Rd atNew Scotland Ave(1999-2000).DEC clean up of Boopsie Brownfield site, corner of Whitehall Rdand New Scotland Ave,( 1997-98).Defeat of two attempts to site a third middle school in theneighborhood (1999-2000).Restoration of Crestwood Plaza as a neighborhood retail-servicecenter (1997-2004).Creation of Conifer tree buffer and 1 acre greenspace atBuckingham Mews NE corner of New Scotland Ave and Krum Kill Rdand green space at SW corner of South Manning Blvd andNew Scotland Ave (1980's).Defeat of two attempts to rezone residential dwelling ,NW cornerof South Manning Blvd and New Scotland Ave ,as commercial (1995-96)Defeat of two attempts to site a 100 ft cell phone tower in an R-1Bresidential zoned neighborhood on Whitehall Rd (2004-2005).Defeat of proposed 12 story apartment tower and parking garageon 7.5 acre wooded parcel,containing 2 small wetlands and a tributaryof the Normans Kill,located on Krum Kill Rd (2004).

We will better serve our neighborhoodby being united, rather than divided andworking a cross purposes.In invite all neighborhood residents toparticipate in your neighborhood association.It works, when you do!Thank you.Joe SullivanBPCNA President

Monday, January 25, 2010

THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THE RAIN.TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM THEWHITE DEATH.During December and January state andlocal governments have dumped excessiveamounts of road salt on roadways. If a cost-benefit analysis of this practicewere undertaken, it would reveal thatthe costs far outweigh any benefits.Road salt accelerates deterioration ofour transportation infrastructureincluding road surfaces and bridges.Road salt rusts our expensive motorvehicles and rots their expensive tires.Road salt contaminates our environmentincluding soil and water supplies; andkills urban street trees.Road salt causes health problems forpeople, livestock and pets. It drys andbecomes airborne mixing with ozonefrom vehicle exhausts contributing to respiratory, lung, hypertension, kidney heart and related health problems?The current rains are washing the saltfrom the air and roads, allowing us tobreathe easier for a few days. However, when the next snow and ice storms threaten; state, county, city and town governments will be back at workdumping excessive amounts of roadsalt everywhere. They will not be alonemalls, supermarkets, hospitals, healthcare providers, colleges and universitiesand homeowners will be doing the same.Isn't it ironic that governments are takingactions aimed at restricting our salt intakesin foods and restaurants, while doing nothing to restrict their force feeding ustons of road salt? Nothing to reduce thecosts of this practice?Consider how much road salt finds it'sway into Buckingham Pond and whatadverse impact this has on pond ecology.Look at the roadway to Thacher Parkand observe the guard rails that arefalling over the edge of the cliff. Canentire sections of the road be far behind?

As you ride under elevated roads alongI-90, 787 and downtown Albany, observethe damagingeffects of road salt on the steeland concrete above you. What about thatbelow you?As you traverse Albany City streets, dodgingpotholes, do you realize that excessive roadsalt dumping by City OGS is a major factorin the deterioration of those road surfaces?Observe the poor condition of trees thatline city streets.

From highlands surrounding Albany andother urban places, how many times , inWinter and Spring, are those places obscurreda blanket of smog, containing, among othercontaminates, airborne dried road salt?

You get the idea. Now, get after state, countycity and town governments to change theirways. Malls, supermarkets, hospitals, schoolsand all the others too.Lastly, when weather is bad, roads icy andsnow covered, or flooded, ....slow down!Joe Sullivan